Getting Started in F&B Business

Singaporeans like to eat out. Our continuous pursuit for good food has driven the F&B sector’s growth. With hundreds of new restaurants or F&B business opening in Singapore, the competition is very intense. We often see many restaurants come and go within the first year of operation. It is therefore important for one to understand how to survive in the F&B business before actually opening one.

1.Applying Licences & Permits

Licences and permits are required when you:

-Import ingredients and equipment

-Operate central kitchens & food processing establishments

-Operate F&B outlets like hawker stalls, restaurants, cafes, and mobile food wagons, among others

-Renovate existing premises

-Provide entertainment in your F&B outlet

-Serve alcohol to customers

-Sell liquor and tobacco products

-Provide outdoor dining areas

-Operate establishments such as food factories or premises that could pose a risk to health and safety

-Use materials or apparatus in your manufacturing process that are radioactive or include hazardous substances

The business licensing portal, LicenceOne, provides more details and information that you can refer to. https://licence1.business.gov.sg/web/frontier/session-timeout

2.Learn More About Laws & Regulations

Find out about the laws and regulations that apply to each stage of food & beverage production:

-Importing and exporting food and food products

-Employing staff and foreign workers

-Selecting premises for your F&B outlet

-Applying for Halal Certification

-Environmental health regulations

-Registering your food factory

-Getting planning permission if your premises were not originally approved for factory use

-Licensing compliance (e.g. operating a cold store or food processing establishment)

-Record keeping

-Filing and paying taxes

3.Service Excellence and Culinary Standard

A memorable dining experience is rooted on two basic factors – good food and good customer service. Once you achieved both, there is a higher possibility that the customer will return regularly. They can also give good reviews and recommend your restaurant to others and eventually help your business grow. No marketing strategy is stronger than this. To achieve this, always set a standard for your staff to follow.

4.Grow your productivity with technology

F&B businesses can take advantage of government scheme such as Production Solution Grant (PSG) to increase their productivity at lower cost. By building a website, offering online booking for orders and deliveries, using touchscreen menu order system, and other Point-of-Sale solutions.

A well-developed Point-Of-Sale solution can help restaurants to save time on many steps during the serving process, allow staffs to focus more on customer service standard. For more information on how POS can work in your business, please fill in the form below to request for free demo!